Drive-chain



(No Model.)

J. SEIBEL.

DRIVE CHAIN. I No. 373,615. Patented Nov. 22, 1887'.

ami-themes I 81mm (liken 1x3 N Farms Pholo-Lillwgraplvur. Washingmm u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB SEIBEL, OF NAPOLEON, OHIO.

DRIVE-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,615, dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed September 12, 1857. Serial No. 249,483. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JACOB SEIBEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Napoleon, in the county of Henry and State of Ohio, have inveiited'a new and useful Improvement in Drive Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in drive-chains; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a drive-chain constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a single link, and Fig. 3 is a side view showing the manner of connecting two adjacent links.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates one of my improved links, which is constructed from a Single strip of metal, preferably wrought-iron or stout steel wire.

In forming my links I take a strip of metal of suitable length, and at proper distances from its ends I bend it upon itself to form the loops or eyes B B, and from said loops or eyes I extend the ends of the metal strip at right angles to the portion 0 between the eyes which forms the end bar of the link. The ends of the strip form the side bars, D D, of the link, and their extremities are provided with the hooks E E. The hooks E and the eyes B are. flattened, as shown, by any suitable means, and the eyes are arranged in the same plane as the end and side bars, while the hooks are at right angles thereto.

In connecting the links so as to form a chain the two links to be connected are placed together, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, with their outlines substantially coinciding and the eyes of one link passing through or into the hooks of the other link. The opposite ends of the link are then swung from each other, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby causing the hooks and eyes to positively engage and connect the links in such a manner that they cannot become disengaged without first assuming the relative positions shown in Fig. 3 in full lines, and this fastening is rendered more positive by the flattening of the hooks and eyes, as there is thus less danger of slipping of the parts than if they were rounded.

Besides being used as a simple drivechain, my device can be employed on water and straw elevators and for similar purposes. \Vhen the chain is used upon an elevator in which the buckets are supported between two chains, Igive one of the side bars of each link an additional turn to form the eye F, to or in which a hook or other catch on the side of the bucket engages. When the buckets are suspended from a single chain, both side bars are provided with the eyes F, in which the catches on the sides of the bucket engage.

It will be observed that my device is very simple in construction, and, being formed from a single piece of material, can be manufac tured at a slight cost. The hooks at the ends of the side bars, being very nearly circular, prevent the disengagement of the links, except in the manner hereinbefore described.

Havingthus described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A link for drive chains formed from a single strip of wire bent to form the circular eyes at the junctions of its end and side bars and the circular hooks at the ends of its side bars, as set forth.

2. The link for drive and similar chains herein described, having its side bar provided with an integral laterally-projecting loop or eye at an intermediate point of its length, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. Alink for drive and similar chains, consisting of a single strip of wire bent to form the eyes B B at the junction of the side and end bars, the hooks E E at the ends of the side bars, and the eye Or loop F at an inter mediate point of the side bar, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atfixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB SEIBEL.

Witnesses:

llIARTIN KNUPP, W. A. TRESSLER. 

